Remember that Gil Scott-Heron was a musical mastermind, one of the first to do what he did, and without him, Jay-Z and Kanye probably would not exist. But more importantly, remember that Gil Scott-Heron was a powerful political and social critic. We should listen closely to his lyrics, for they contain truths that should enlighten and motivate us to action.
I was recently criticized by a good friend for having been bitten by the “post-racial” bug for suggesting that race, as a socially constructed concept unrelated to genetics, affects everyone and that human connection can transcend (perceived) racial differences. I would never be so naïve as to argue that race no longer matters; in fact, I will argue that it matters more than ever, affecting even white people — which is why we, as human beings of all colors, need to start having more honest and inclusive conversations on the subject.
At TEDxCaltech, cosmologist Sean Carroll attacks — in an entertaining and thought-provoking tour through the nature of time and the universe — a deceptively simple question: Why does time exist at all? The potential answers point to a surprising view of the nature of the universe, and our place in it.
I do not claim to be a Malcolm X scholar, but I value him not as a black militant or nationalist; I value him as a proud, assertive spokesman for the oppressed in the United States and abroad who was paradigmatic of what “Brother Rabbit” stood for in challenging both the oppressor within (the corruption of the Nation of Islam and what he called the “House Negro”) and without (the system of colonialism and white supremacy in the United States, Africa, and elsewhere). Therefore, despite the numerous attempts — honest and otherwise — of certain factions to reclaim him , Malcolm X belongs to the people at large and always will.
Everything depends on readiness for a form of existence organized locally around the commune and the living community. The division of work would essentially be built up anew from there. In the center of things, however, would stand not work, but life, the interpersonal traffic of a high, love-filled culture, where the values of being stand above the values of having.
So the immediate thing to do is to become familiar with developing communities: Start looking around for other people, families and groups to maybe share with them the adventure of a different life.
Marbles: The Brain Store is a one-of-a-kind retail store with a smart collection of hand-picked, expert-tested, certifiably fun ways to a healthier brain for all ages. The best part? Our stores are designed to let you roll up your sleeves and get a little brainy while you play games, solve puzzles, try out software and flip through books to find the right products for you and your noggin. Our team is chock-full of smart, outgoing people who are passionate about learning new things and creating a fun, interactive environment where customers can reach their brain’s fullest potential.
What is The Gutenberg Galaxy? It is [Marshall] McLuhan’s term to describe the post-printing press world, and it is home to a whole lot of knowledge, thoughts, and ideas. In short, you might say that the galaxy consists of anything that’s ever been printed. The Wikipedia page for this book has an estimate for just how big the Gutenberg galaxy might be: in 2004/2005, the British Library had more than 97 million items, while the Library of Congress had more than 130 million.
The key to the technology is zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires. ZnO nanowires are piezoelectric — they can generate an electric current when strained or flexed. That movement can be virtually any body movement, such as walking, a heartbeat, or blood flowing through the body. The nanowires can also generate electricity in response to wind, rolling tires, or many other kinds of movement.
What is so fascinating is the limitation of the reasoning space — the screens in which we exhibit our brain maps. We have many such screens: visual screens, but also “screens” for sound, for touch, for olfaction (smell). The brain has discrete anatomical spaces for each one. There is no doubt that when you are listening to Mahler symphony and watching Daniel Barenboim conducting at the same time, you are having perceptual impressions in two entirely different screen spaces, auditory and visual. Those spaces are so independent that they might as well be in two different cities of your brain.
Too often, humans take their food for granted. It’s easy to forget to take the time to think about where the food on your plate comes from; it’s so readily available that we don’t have to. The pressure that we are putting on our planet and natural resources, however, begs us to think twice about what’s for dinner.
A few years ago I had a bit of a revelation: I had been eating food my whole life, and never thought twice about where it came from. Ever since, I’ve become increasingly aware of my food sources, and try to eat as earth-friendly as I can, as often as I can [...] My food revelation, however, only pertained to food sources from land. Until recently, I hadn’t thought much about food that come from the sea.
